September is 'Hunger Action Month;' CCS and its northern Utah food bank are involved
Friday, Aug. 29, 2014
Maresha Bosgieter
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CCS Northern Utah launched the initiative this summer 'Bridging the Gap' to combat child hunger by feeding children in the park in Weber County. Courtesy photo/Maresha Bosgieter
OGDEN — The national “September is Hunger Action Month” campaign will kick off Sept. 4 in an effort to turn the nation orange by encouraging everyone to play a role by wearing orange and supporting local food banks. Catholic Community Services’ Northern Utah Joyce Hansen Hall Food Bank will support hunger relief by participating in the month-long campaign with various events.
Hunger Action month is set aside nationally to focus on the fact that 1 in 6 Americans, and 1 in 5 kids struggle with hunger, said Maresha Bosgieter, CCS Northern Utah development director. In Utah 10 percent of the population lives in poverty and 1 in 5 people in the Ogden area live with food insecurity.
As a way to raise awareness, Marcie Valdez, CCS Northern Utah director, has invited local leaders to accept the SNAP Challenge (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) by spending one week during September living on a food stamp budget to get a better understanding of its difficulties. SNAP benefits, formerly food stamps, equate to $4.50 per person per day, or $31.50 each week.
Those who will participate in the challenge include Brad Drake, CCS executive director; Chuck White, Weber State University president; Mike Caldwell, Ogden City mayor; and Jan Zogmaister, Weber County commissioner.
Drake said his challenge will be to eat nutritious food. “I don’t know how far I can extend that on $4.50 a day,” he said, adding that it will be good for him to see what CCS clients experience.
“There are many things that come up for individuals who accept the challenge because it really is not enough money,” said Valdez. “Some say they would normally buy fresh fruits and vegetables, but they are forced to buy canned fruits and vegetables because of the cost. The sacrifices they end up making and the quality and types of food they eat during the week are eye-opening.”
Gina Cornia, Utahns Against Hunger executive director, took the SNAP challenge last year and said she spent the week eating potatoes and processed foods and was glad when the week was over. “This challenge is good because it reminds people that they need to support emergency food providers,” she said. “It also creates an opportunity to talk about why federal nutrition programs are important. In 2012 the food stamp program moved 4 million people out of poverty in our country.”
In Utah from 2008 to 2012, the number of people on food stamps more than doubled because of the poor economy, but since 2012 it has decreased to about 228,000 individuals, she said.
CCS is hosting other activities during the month as well. On Sept. 9, seven Ogden restaurants will participate in the “Dine Out to Help Out” event, donating a percentage of the evening’s proceeds to CCS. The restaurants are listed on www.ccsutah.org.
CCS in Ogden also will host a screening of the documentary A Place at the Table, on Sept. 16, followed by the results of the SNAP challenge experiences.
“This will be a way for people to learn what they can do to make a difference by advocating with local and state politicians,” said Valdez. “There is a lot of work we need to do to increase benefits through federal nutrition programs to support the low-income families facing hunger. People can help by volunteering at the food bank, donating food, making a cash donation, or by being a voice for change.”
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